It’s that time of year again when our fig trees in Cyprus are literally covered in lovely green or black figs. Apart from the obvious joy in eating a small dish of sun-ripened figs they are extremely good for you. Figs are an amazing fruit, possible a super fruit, and the health benefits of figs can be attributed to the presence of various minerals and vitamins in them. Figs contain vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, sodium, potassium and chlorine. I thought I’d share a few favourite recipes with you, but first I’ve also listed some of the health benefits which I’m sure many will come as a surprise to you. (Please note these benefits are aids only.) These include:

Prevents constipation and helps with healthy bowel function, leading to reducing your weight!

Lowers cholesterol: Figs contain Pectin, a soluble fibre which mops up globules of cholesterol when figs pass through the digestive system.

Prevents and protects against colon & breast cancer: The fibre helps in mopping up and casting out cancer causing substances.

Good for diabetic patients: Highly recommended by Diabetes Associations. Apart from the benefit of fibre the fig leaves reduce the amount of insulin needed by diabetic patients who have to take insulin injection. Fig is rich in Potassium which helps to control blood sugar.

Prevention of hypertension: Figs are high in potassium but low in sodium. So, this helps to avoid hypertension.

Strong bones: Figs are rich in Calcium and everyone knows this helps to strengthen bones.

Prevent macular degeneration: Vision loss due to macular degeneration can be partially avoided when eating figs.

Relief for sore throats: The high mucilage content in figs helps to heal and protect sore throats. Often found in cough mixtures!

Going on from the last point figs are quite useful in various respiratory disorders including whooping cough and asthma. Fig is a highly alkaline food; therefore it helps to regulate the pH of the body. Figs are rich in flavonoids and polyphenols. These antioxidants help prevent the damage caused by free radicals. Warning! As figs are also a laxative too many can cause diarrhoea! Beware!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

That’s the science over with, now for some yummy quick recipes! I make pounds of fig chutney which never last long in our house. However, I wanted to try other things so here goes…hope you enjoy playing around with these ideas too! Most are perfect for 'drinks parties.'First the savoury…Fig & Goat Cheese Baguette Slices Finely chop figs and toss with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Salt to taste. Take your baguettes, slice and then toast them. Serve the toasts with a thin spread of goat’s cheese topped with the fig mixture. Add black freshly ground pepper as desired. Fig & Pancetta Salad Add chopped figs and cooked pancetta or bacon to a simple salad of your choice. We love green salad, or a pasta one. Add yoghurt or balsamic vinegar dressing and serve.Figs with Parmesan & Balsamic Cut figs in half. Set on a plate with Parmesan cheese shavings and drizzle with your favourite high-quality balsamic vinegar. Add a few twists of freshly ground black pepper. Devine!Figs snuggled with bacon wraps Wrap each fig with a piece of lean, thinly sliced piece of bacon or prosciutto. Place figs on a baking sheet and lightly grill, turn once until bacon is crisped and browned. Serve hot.Fig Coulis Blend into a puree, add a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar and enough olive oil to make the puree pourable. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat gently and serve with meat such as pork, chicken, duck, or turkey.Grilled Figs Stuffed with Blue Cheese Make a slit in the side of each fig. Stuff a small teaspoon of your favourite blue cheese into the fig. Brush figs with olive oil and grill, turning once, until the figs are hot and the cheese is nicely melted.Now for the sweet… Grilled Figs Lay halved figs on a baking sheet. Grill until bubbling and turning brown. Serve with sweet dishes. For a mouth-watering simple dessert, drizzle the grilled figs with honey before grilling and serve with mascarpone cheese, crème-fraiche, or ice cream. (NB Could be served with savoury dished too.)Honey-Fried Figs Halve figs lengthwise. Melt a tablespoon each of butter and honey in a frying pan and put the figs, cut-side down, in the pan. Cook slowly until bubbling and figs start to brown. Serve with cream, yogurt, or ice cream on the side. Yummy!Fig Compote Make a spiced sugar syrup using 1 part sugar to 2 parts water; add 1 cinnamon stick, orange zest, vanilla bean or essence, whole cloves, star anise, or cardamom. Bring to a boil and dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to a simmer. Add whole or halved figs and cook for five minutes. Remove figs, let the syrup cool, and then return figs to syrup. Leave all to cool. Serve alone, or with ice cream or a swirl of fresh cream.Figs With MarscaponeCheese Halve figs lengthwise and serve with small dollops of mascarpone, or crème fraiche on top. A sprig of mint or lemon zest adds a nice touch.Fig Coulis Blend into a puree, add a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar and enough olive oil to make the puree pourable. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Heat gently and serve with meat such as pork, chicken, duck, or turkey.Finally Fig Ice Cream!Prep Time: 6 hours, Cook Time: 10 minutes Eating time; Less than 5 minutes!Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup fresh figs chopped into tiny pieces

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 egg whites

400 ml thickened chilled double cream

1/3 cup sugar ground to a fine powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

4-5 tablespoons of honey

Preparation:

Heat pan on medium flame till hot. Add butter and allow to melt. Add the brown sugar and figs, stir well. Cook until the figs are soft, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Put aside for later use.

Whisk the 2 egg whites in a separate clean, dry bowl, until they are fluffy and soft peaks are formed.

In another bowl, whisk the cream, sugar and essence together. Be careful not to over whisk as the cream may turn to butter.

Now add the fig mixture to the cream and blend with a wooden spoon.

Gently fold this mixture into the egg whites. Once fully blended, pour into a freezer bowl and cover.

Freeze for about 3 hours or when firm. Remove from the freezer and mix with a wooden spoon till smooth. Drizzle the honey in swirls over the mixture and gently fold in.

Refreeze until firm. Serve and enjoy!

I do hope you get a lot of fun trying some of these simple ideas and of course from eating them! Here’s to many more glorious long summer days! Eat well and don't forget to relax with a good book or two! Thanks for looking in. Faithx